Most of you have, no doubt, seen the few links pointing to a new social network group for web standards designers and developers. Here is a little background.
Week to week I field questions regarding the industry of web design and development by people who create websites in many capacities. I'm happy to provide what I've learned along the way in hopes that others can learn from my mistakes and success (a silly thought if you consider that history has rarely ever prevented another war). The first recommendation is to start talking to as many people who are either industry peers or people who might know people who have money that may want to exchange for the work that you know how to do. I put it this way because most people I meet—no matter where they are in their career—hate the word commonly associated with this activity: Networking.
The only activity worse than networking is known to my people as public speaking and fortunately not many of us are called to run for public office or audition for a spot in the community theatre, or those pursuits that require speaking in front of others. Standing up there, alone, under the heat and blinding glare of stage lights, looking over a sea of people not paying attention to a word your saying, Twittering as if you weren't risking life and limb, soul laid out in front of a hastily re-worked Keynote presentation.
No, networking is not like that.
I'd say a good deal of us are as busy as we want to be, some of us are even busier, and it's a necessity to always be on the hunt for good talent for future collaboration, potential employment, or new fodder for La société pour l'Amélioration d'Airbag.
The purpose of the Web Standards Design + Development group is to form a strong network of individuals who have taken the initiative to become craftsmen of their trade. I hope you'll join.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
Where's my embroidered blazer?
Thanks for getting this going, Greg. I personally don't view networking as a bad thing at all, and think this is one of the best ways to improve our industry. I'm curious as to your vision on how WSD+D will be more than a LinkedIn group that is more than a group in name only.
"Your membership may be subject to the approval of the group manager."
Thank for keep trying against all the historical precedents :)
I share the Chris hope about the more-than-the-me-too-linkedin-group but i know that most of the work is in our commitment to the group and his vision.
Signed up and ready to roll. When do I start work on the MSNBC site?
Somehow I knew there was a bigger purpose behind that linkedin request I over the weekend. ;) I'm totally on board!
About the aversion to networking, I think it may be a result of the rotten apples out there whose idea of networking doesn't involve any sincere socializing, but is simply a self-marketing tool they pull out when they need cash.
I hate that kind of networking, preferring the kind where you get to know people, as people, and come at it from an attitude of what do I have to offer others, instead of what can these people do for me. I call it natworking. :)
natworking++
Excited about all this.
> I'm curious as to your vision on how WSD+D will be more than a LinkedIn group that is more than a group in name only.
Honestly I started the group to see if there was a need. After spending the day approving members and reading through some very kind and supportive email there is a need here and I've got some ideas for how to help. I need a bit more time to converse with a few peers to get those talking points turned into a useful course of action.
> "Your membership may be subject to the approval of the group manager."
All accounts are approved just about every hour. This morning the 'new group' limit was reached but Cool Dude Steve Ganz helped open the flood gates once again.
> About the aversion to networking, I think it may be a result of the rotten apples out there whose idea of networking doesn't involve any sincere socializing, but is simply a self-marketing tool they pull out when they need cash.
Good point. As the group evolves there will have to be some way to sort these types of people out and throw rocks at them as they are kicked out.
Good.
> "I hope you'll join."
Well, Greg, if you insist. I anxiously await approval......
to the group, of course.
Thanks for this Greg! I must admit I've looked at the groups on LinkedIn before and thought to myself about starting something like this but kept putting it off. Its a breath of fresh air that you've taken the initiative!
Now can we start on creating the secret hand shake?
> Now can we start on creating the secret hand shake?
We do: Up + Up + Down + Down + Left + Right + Left + Right + B + A + Select + Start
Unrelated - but I wanted to say thanks for posting both the Facebook in Real Life and Beware: Celebrity Endorsement links. Both were great finds! Cheers
>> Now can we start on creating the secret hand shake?
> We do: Up + Up + Down + Down + Left + Right + Left + Right + B + A + Select + Start
Ahh the memories of mt. dew and doritos overindulgence whilst playing Contra.
Just signed up and was so worried that I wouldn't be accepted that I sent Greg a long dissertation about how committed I was. Felt like a job interview :)
I even described my own brief foray into public speaking where I blustered to a bunch of stuffy computer engineers about how important Web Standards were. They thought I was an idiot.
Who was it that said that groups only existed to keep people out? I don't think I've joined one since high school, but Airbag's on the money with this one. It's time to begin being more aware of each other so that the folks that don't get it, start to.
Now, I'm off to practice that handshake...